There is a famous Malawi saying, “If you educate a girl, you educate a whole nation.” This is true yet only 35% of all Malawi girls ever walk through school doors. Because Malawi’s population is 82% rural, girls are valued as indispensable helpers around the home. From an early age, they are expected to feed, bath, and care for their younger siblings. They are also tasked to draw water daily from a well or river, to provide for the entire family . On their 1-2 mile journey to the water source, they carry 3 gallon buckets of water on their heads. With all of this work expected of young girls, education falls low on the list of priorities. In 2014, Malawi Partners opened the Draper Secondary School at Chuluchosema. This secondary school caters to both girls and boys in the villages surrounding Chuluchosema. But after four years, Draper Secondary School has faced many challenges keeping girls in school. - All students walk or cycle to school. These paths are not safe and many girls are assaulted traveling to and from school. - There are a total of 240 students attending Draper Secondary School, of which only 85 are girls. Our aim is to have 50% girls in school in the next three years. Campaigns are currently conducted to raise community awareness about the importance of educating girls. - Most of these students arrive at school without breakfast or lunch. - When the girls return home, they are immersed in domestic chores, leaving them with no time to study and do their homework. - All village homes are without electricity, so any study done at home is completed late at night by candle light or paraffin lamps. KEEPING GIRLS IN SCHOOL AT DRAPER SECONDARY SCHOOL We are raising $100,000 to build a girls boarding house at Draper Secondary School. With boarding provided, girls will have access to a safe environment without fear of being assaulted on the journey to and from school. This will also lower the rate of pregnancy and forced marriages in teenage girls The dorm will have a kitchen, so the girls can begin their school day with a meal. The dorm will have electricity so they can study with ample light. The money raised will fund the building of the boarding house and staff to keep the girls safe and fed during their time at Draper Secondary School. We thank you for your generosity in changing these girls’ lives through education!